The Indian refractory industry is heading into an exciting period. It is heavily dependent on the domestic steel sector, and government plans for greatly expanded capacity for production of steel and cement in the next few years is expected to propel the refractory sector to new highs, Industrial Minerals correspondent Sunder Singh reports. India’s refractory …

On 19-20 April 2018, an international conference of refractories and metallurgists was held at the National Research Technological University MISIS – Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys/RU. As usual, preliminary informatin has been published in the form of summaries in the magazine New Refractories about a number of achievements of developers and manufacturers of refractories …

Pollution regulations and their enforcement in China, coupled with the maturity of the steel and refractory industries, are causing a third major disturbance to the global magnesia market. China has long been a major force in the global magnesia market. The entry of low-priced magnesia exports from China almost 30 years ago disrupted supply market …

The digitalisation of the steel value chain could lead to a productivity revolution in steel making, argues Nils Naujok* and Holger Samm* The global steel industry is the critical backbone of the industrialised value chain. As an essential base material for significant sectors such as automotive and aerosace, it is a centrepiece of innovation and …

China’s crude stainless steel output increased in the first nine months of 2018 amid higher prices and healthy profit. By Jessica Zong Stainless steelmakers in China produced 20.75 million tonnes of crude stainless steel during the period, up 8.5% from an adjusted 19.12 million tonnes from January to September in 2017, according to data released …

The Indian refractory industry is heading into an exciting period. It is heavily dependent on the domestic steel sector, and government plans for greatly expanded capacity for production of steel and cement in the next few years is expected to propel the refractory sector to new highs, Industrial Minerals correspondent Sunder Singh reports.

India’s refractory industry had a modest year in the financial period from April 2017 to March 2018, in terms of a moderate increase in local output of steel and cement.

While exact production figures were not available at the time of publication, refractory production registered a growth of about 3.5% on a volume basis, according to the Indian Refractory Manufacturers Association (Irma).

Growth of the sector was supported by Indian crude steel output, which rose by 4.5% to 102.34 million tonnes in the 2017-18 financial year, compared with an increase of 8.5% in 2016-17.

India’s crude steel output exceeded 100 million tonnes for the first time in 2017-18. Total production capacity increased by 5% to 134.6 million tonnes. The jump seen in 2016-17 was a result of the imposition of higher anti-dumping duties on flat steel products, which curbed imports and helped mills boost domestic sales.

Meanwhile, high volumes of refractory products imported from China created headwinds for growth among domestic refractory producers.

“Imports of refractory products from China is a key issue facing Indian refractory producers. Dumping
of cheaper products from China affects the profitability of [other market participants] and domestic
refractory growth,” Vivek Singh, general manager for marketing at Calderys India Refractories, told
Industrial Minerals. “Almost 25% of the Indian refractory market, including magnesium bricks, is
catered [for] by China.”

Healthy demand projection

There are indications that India’s steel consumption in the next few years will show robust growth
thanks to the government’s emphasis on infrastructure development, both real estate and
automotive. The national 2017-18 budget included an outlay of 4,000 billion rupees ($56 billion) for
infrastructure expansion, covering railways, roadways, airports, seaports, multi-modal transport and
urban amenities, as well as affordable housing.

This has provided a boost for the domestic steel sector. The government’s New Steel Policy 2017
envisages an increase in per capita consumption to 160kg by 2030 from the present 60kg, backed by
a target of 300 million tonnes per year of added steelmaking capacity.

Raw material worries

Raw material availability and pricing has been a major issue for Indian refractory producers since
August 2017, when strict environmental regulations in China started to affect the supply from
Chinese producers and suppliers.

India’s refractory industry has traditionally depended heavily on Chinese imports of dead burned and
fused magnesia (DBM, FM), refractory bauxite and tabular alumina. As a result, Irma has urged the
Indian government to intervene to ease the raw material situation. The government has yet to
respond to the association’s call for action.

“China has gone through a lot of changes in terms of its environmental norms. This has caused a
substantial increase in raw material prices for refractory producers. Major raw materials, such as
fused magnesia, sea water magnesia, brown fused alumina [and] tabular alumina, still must be
imported as refractory quality grades are not available in [India],” Irma secretary general Anirban
Dasgupta told Industrial Minerals.

“The Indian refractory industry has seen average refractory raw material prices increase by 23% in
April 2018, compared with the same period in 2017. There is an urgent need to enhance domestic
raw material production and the use of alternative sources of raw materials,” Dasgupta added.
Calderys’ Singh agreed. “There is scarcity in raw materials in India as well,” he said. “The dunite mines
of Salem are closed due to environmental and other administrative reasons [and the supply of] good
quality refractory-grade bauxite is fast dwindling. The only silver lining for Indian producers is that
the current situation is forcing us to work on strategies that can reduce our dependence on China.”

New investment

A joint venture between Indian refractory maker Dalmia and Slovenian counterpart Seven
Refractories has started construction of a refractory plant in India. The Dalmia-Seven factory is in
Katni in the state of Madhya Pradesh, and will be equipped with a new production line with initial
capacity for 40,000 tonnes per year of finished refractory products. The line will produce refractory
materials for casting and other applications.

With fully integrated IT process supervision and a barcode system, the line will represent one of the
most advanced production lines in the industry. Both final products and incoming raw materials will
undergo supervision in the plant’s own laboratory.

“Refractories are the heart of manufacturing, and the Indian government’s thrust on core industries
will create a requirement for advanced refractory solutions that can help to improve productivity and
optimize costs,” Sameer Nagpal, chief executive of refractories for Dalmia Bharat Group, said. “With
the Katni plant, the Dalmia-Seven joint venture has an ideally located strategic asset at the center of
its operations.”

On 19-20 April 2018, an international conference of refractories and metallurgists was held at the National Research Technological University MISIS – Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys/RU. As usual, preliminary informatin has been published in the form of summaries in the magazine New Refractories about a number of achievements of developers and manufacturers of refractories as well as about results of their application in linings of metallurgical vessels.

Pollution regulations and their enforcement in China, coupled with the maturity of the steel and refractory industries, are causing a third major disturbance to the global magnesia market.

China has long been a major force in the global magnesia market. The entry of low-priced magnesia exports from China almost 30 years ago disrupted supply market dynamics. The growth of the Chinese steel and refractory industry since 2005 has equally influenced the way magnesia demand worked.

The challenges and opportunities resulting from the latest disruptions to magnesia supplies in China, and the changing global dynamics of magnesia supply and demand, are numerous. In the short term, the availability of dead-burned magnesia (DBM) and fused magnesia (FM) will be a problem for refractory producers that do not have their own magnesia resources.

But there is no lack of magnesite outside China, and in the medium to longer term this presents opportunities for both existing and aspiring magnesia producers.

Supply has been developing in a number of areas other than China, and these are now gaining in prominence. Turkey, Russia and Brazil have historically been important producers and exporters, but others are also making progress and are seeking to capitalise on the disruptions in China.

Supply developments

Magnezit, Russia

Magnezit Group has total reserves of 260 million tonnes in Russia, split between 150 million tonnes in the Chelyabinsk region (Satka) and 110 million tonnes in Razdolinsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory).

In 2011, Magnezit Group obtained a license to develop the Talsk deposit, while the nearby Kirgiteisk deposit near Razdolinsk has been developed since 2006. Since early 2013, magnesite has been produced in Razdolinsk on a commercial scale and has become part of the production cycle at the Lower Angara (Krasnoyarsk Territory) and Satka production sites.

Over the period 2016-29, output from the Magnezitovaya magnesite mine will grow to 1.6 million tonnes per year from the Satka asset.

Magnezit’s output capacity for magnesia in 2017 was 700,000 tonnes (630,000 tonnes of DBM and 70,000 tonnes of FM). This will increase by 2023 to 915,000 tpy (730,000 tpy of DBM and 185,000 tpy of FM).

Turkey

Turkey has the third-largest magnesia production capacity in the world behind China and Russia, with 960,000 tpy. It has the fifth-largest magnesite resources globally at 700 million tonnes, behind China, North Korea, Russia and Brazil.

Resources in six regions in the country include Konya holding 30.6%, Kutahya 26.6%, Eskisehir 28.3% and others 14.5%, based on cryptocrystalline magnesite. There are also sedimentary magnesite deposits in Turkey which have not yet been developed.

There are eight main companies in Turkey with Kümaş accounting for 48% of total capacity, Magnesit AS/RHI-Magnesita 27%, Turkmag 10% and others 15%. Capacity by products is caustic calcined magnesia (CCM) 19%, DBM 77% and FM 4%.Kümaş Manyezit Şanayi controls 12 major mining areas with 82 deposits. In 10 mining areas, 1,926 boreholes have been drilled and tested. Mineral resources (measured and indicated) are 31.34 million tonnes and mineral reserves (proved and probable) are 64.75 million tonnes, totaling 96.09 million tonnes of resources and reserves of magnesite.

There are plants at Kūtahya and Tavşanli:

Kūtahya
– Three rotary kilns; total capacity for DBM, DBD and CCM is 300,000 tpy
– Four electric-arc furnaces for production of FM; total capacity 40,000 tpy
– One MHF kiln for production of CCM; capacity 60,000 tpy

Tavşanli– One rotary kiln and two shaft kilns with capacity for 55,000 tpy.
– Produces DBD and DBM in new shaft kiln

Turkmag has capacity for 100,000 tpy and was commissioned in December 2010. Magnesite reserves exceed 20 million tonnes. Production in 2017 was 140,000 tonnes of magnesite ore and 50,000 tonnes of DBM.
Projected production for 2018 is 240,000 tonnes magnesite ore and 90,000 tonnes of DBM. Investment is planned for a second rotary kiln in 2019-20.

Akdeniz Mineral Kaynaklari (AMK) is a joint venture with Grecian Magnesite. AMK has three main concessions totaling 4,238 hectares. Mining of cryptocrystalline magnesite is from open pits near Eskişehir – one of which is Sazlik.

There are four pre-beneficiation facilities at Aktepe with the main plant at Erenkoy. AMK’s production plant and rotary kiln are at Kümbet, with two shaft kilns and rotary kilns for CCM production. The capacity of the plant is 36,000 tpy but AMK plans to increase this by 30,000 tpy.

Demireller Mining has a mining license covering 1,853 hectares near Mut, in Mersin province. The deposit is cryptocrystalline magnesite and proved reserves are 5 million tonnes, with more resources to be evaluated.
The magnesite deposit shows a range of qualities with SiO2 (0.25-5.0%), CaO (0.3-1.2%), Fe2O3 (0.25-1.0%), MgO (43-47%) and LOI (46-51%). The location is 160km from Mersin Port.

Halil Demirel is the president and chief executive officer of the company, which has been producing raw magnesite since 2013 and supplying to DBM producers in Turkey. There are two beneficiation plants at the mine, and Demireller has purchased a rotary kiln (105m long, 3m wide) with capacity for 90,000 tpy of DBM. The kiln is onsite now but has not yet been installed.

Brazil

IBAR-Nordeste has two operations in Brumado-BA and Jucás-CE. In 2017, Brumado IBAR’s capacity was 180,000 tpy (160,000 tonnes of CCM and 20,000 tonnes of DBM), while Jucás had capacity for 30,000 tpy of CCM. Reserves at Brumado are 100 million tonnes and at Jucás 3 million tonnes.

A significant expansion at Brumado will be a new rotary kiln – the fourth one at the site. There will be a new MHF for calcining in combination with a shaft kiln for sintering. A flotation project for making high-purity MgO (minimum 96.5%) will target both the CCM and DBM markets. Flotation trials have already been commissioned and show positive results in terms of achieving higher grades.

Magnesium do Brasil has mines and a plant at Jucás-CE. There are two shaft kilns and current production capacity for CCM is 75,000 tpy. Resources of magnesite are 52 million tonnes. At present, there is a new shaft kiln on site, yet to be installed, which will increase capacity by about 30,000 tpy.

Serbia

Following many years of uncertainty, Finland’s Afarak Group in May 2018, acquired Magnohrom, a refractory company with magnesite mines and production facilities in Kraljevo, Serbia.

Following completion of a two-year sintered magnesite test project (DBM and CCM) at the Magnohrom plant, Afarak acquired the business for €1 million ($1.17 million) with confirmed reserves of more than 4 million tonnes.
“Afarak will invest in upgrading the technology and equipment at the mines and processing units,” Afarak CEO Guy Konsbruck said. The deposits are cryptocrysalline magnesite with veins and stockworks.

Pakistan
Pakistan has two types of magnesite, with macrocystalline (sparry) associated with dolomite near Abbottabad in the north, and cryptocrystalline magnesite in the south associated with ultra-basic rocks (mainly serpentine). Both types are suitable for DBM and CCM, with the cryptocrystalline magnesite being a higher quality.

A sketch-map of some of the deposits of Pakistan is shown on the following page.

At present, magnesite is mined in the Abbottabad area and in the Muslim-Bagh, Nasai, Reskbrd and Baran Lak deposits. There are small local kilns producing some DBM and CCM.

Recently, raw magnesite has been mined and exported in containers. Master Minerals (a new company) has exported some MB grade material from Muslim-Bagh, with trial shipments to China and Greece. Another company is exporting raw magnesite Grade WH to India.

Australia
Two magnesite deposits, Korab and Thessally, in Northern Territory are being developed but as yet there has been no production.

Korab Resources is developing the magnesite deposit at Winchester. Indicated and inferred resources are 16.6 million tonnes at an MgO Grade of 42.3%, covering just 7% of the mineralized trend, which continues for about 8km.
The mine can produce various grades of magnesium carbonate rock (42-46% MgO). The primary aim is to export magnesite ore to other countries, and it is believed that India will be a target market because there is a shortage of high-quality magnesite due to mine closures in Salem on environmental grounds.

Thessally Resources is the sole owner of the Huandot magnesite deposit at Bachelor, 60km south of Darwin. Mineral resources are 17 million tonnes at 43% MgO, and high-grade magnesite resources are 9.1 million tonnes at 44.3% MgO and 4% insolubles. The exploration target is 13-20 million tonnes at 42-46% MgO.

This is the closest Australian deposit to the Asian markets. It is next to road and rail links, and has electricity and gas utilities, together with year-round access to mineral tenements and a major port. The East Wharf near Darwin is a deep-water port able to accept Panamax-size vessels.

Calix Ltd (Calix) owns and operates two mining tenements at Myrtle Springs in South Australia. These tenements were acquired for A$1.0 million ($742,000) in 2013. Magnesite is processed at Calix’s CFC (Calix Flash Calciner) plant at Bacchus Marsh in Victoria.

Calix launched an A$8 million initial public offering (IPO) in June 2018 and part of these funds is intended to increase production of high-reactivity CCM from the current 10% of the rated capacity for 25,000 tpy of CFC.
Other recent development in Australia include:

– Archer Exploration announced in July 2018 the sale of its Leigh Creek Magnesia Project, which includes two exploration licenses in South Australia, to an unnamed private Australian company. EcoMag issued a prospectus in June 2018 to raise A$3 million prior to listing in August 2018. The company is looking to develop its new process to produce magnesium-based materials including hydrated magnesium carbonate and CCM from bitterns, a waste product from salt manufacture.

Other supply developments

MGX Minerals released an NI 43-101 PEA for its Driftwood Creek magnetite project in British Columbia, Canada, in April 2018. It envisages production of as much as 170,000 tpy of CCM and 95% MgO DBM. Measured and indicated resources were 7.8 million tonnes at a 42.5% MgO cutoff.

RHI Magnesita restarted production of FM at Porsgrunn in Norway in January 2018, and is expected to increase production to full capacity. It also announced that its dolomite mine in Chizhou, in China’s Anhui province, will restart at the end of 2019.

K+S completed its acquisition of CCM and synthetic magnesium sulphate producer Huludao Magpower Fertilizers (Magpower) in China in January 2017. The current capacity of 90,000 tpy will be doubled to 180,000 tpy.

MIMC’s magnesite manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia has capacity for 39,000 tpy of CCM and 32,000 tpy of DBM. First sales of 2,000 tonnes of DBM (>94% MgO) were made in 2017 and were expected to increase in 2018. Increased sales of fertiliser-grade CCM are also expected.

Demand

Global production from magnesite mines in 2017 has been estimated to be 27 million tonnes, of which 67% was produced in China.

In 2017, China exported about 884,000 tonnes of DBM, 654,000 tonnes of CCM and 428,000 tonnes of FM, a total increase in magnesia exports of 34% compared with 2016. The increase was largely a result of expected supply problems from China.

It has been estimated that the refractory market accounts for about 75% of the global demand for magnesia, and that China produces about 80% of global FM and about 44% of global DBM.

In June this year, IHS Markit estimated that the global market for CCM, excluding production of DBM and EFM, was about 4.4 million tonnes in 2017. It divided applications into construction (39%), agricultural (26%), magnesium chemicals (15%), environmental (11%) and other (9%). It also estimated a modest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.8% for 2017-22.

Also in June, Roskill estimated that China produced about 3 million tonnes of CCM in 2017 while the rest of the world produced about 1.5 million tonnes.

Refractories market

China’s production of refractory materials decreased by about 4% in 2017 to 22.9 million tonnes. And 2017 was the fourth consecutive year of declining refractory production, despite increasing steel production over the same period, due to increased efficiencies in steel production and a declining steel specific consumption (kg of refractories per tonne of steel produced).

Also over the same period, the percentage of monolithic refractories consumed by all Chinese industries increased to 43% from 40%.

Refractory production in China is forecast to continue to fall while steel production stabilizes or decreases, and the use of recycled steel increases from its current low level of 6% of total production. In ten years’ time, annual Chinese refractory consumption is expected to fall to 15-16 million tpy, with production about 17-18 million tpy.

Refractories production outside China is expected to increase in the next decade to about 16 million tpy from its current level of about 13 million tpy.

But combined with the declining production in China, it is expected that annual world refractory production will initially decline and then remain in the range of 33-34 million tpy until about 2030.

Prices

Industrial Minerals pricing data shows increases in Chinese export prices for all grades but particularly DBM and FM, starting around July 2017 and accelerating for most grades in October 2017, or for higher purity DBM in March 2018.
By June 2018, there had been some price reductions from the peak values except for the highest purity products, such as FM (98% MgO) and DBM (94-95% and 97.5% MgO).

With modest growth expected in demand for CCM and little growth foreseen in demand for DBM and FM, together with significant resources outside China, the main issue is how quickly production of DBM and FM can be increased outside China to compensate for any decline in supply from China.

The current higher Chinese prices will obviously improve the financial viability of such plant expansions and developments outside China.

It remains to be seen whether the planned consolidation of Chinese magnesia producers will affect how widely this change is felt, or whether the enormous reserves of magnesite in other places such as North Korea will be the basis for the next – and fourth – disruption to the global magnesia market.

The digitalisation of the steel value chain could lead to a productivity revolution in steel making, argues Nils Naujok* and Holger Samm*

The global steel industry is the critical backbone of the industrialised value chain. As an essential base material for significant sectors such as automotive and aerosace, it is a centrepiece of innovation and economic growth.

By Jessica Zong
Stainless steelmakers in China produced 20.75 million tonnes of crude stainless steel during the period, up 8.5% from an adjusted 19.12 million tonnes from January to September in 2017, according to data released by the China Stainless Steel Council late on Monday October 29.

The output for 300-series crude stainless steel totaled 9.38 million tonnes, down 2.8% from an adjusted 9.65 million tonnes in the corresponding period of last year.

For 200-series crude stainless steel, output in the first nine months of this year was recorded at 7.12 million tonnes, up 24.2% from an adjusted 5.73 million tonnes a year earlier.

Mills produced 4.13 million tonnes of 400-series crude stainless steel during the January-September period, up 12.7% from an adjusted 3.66 million tonnes in the same period of last year.

A total of 114,449 tonnes of duplex stainless steel was also produced in the first nine months of this year, up 62.12% from an adjusted 70,595 tonnes a year earlier.

The council estimated that China’s apparent stainless steel consumption was 16.46 million tonnes in the January-September period, up 9.5% from an adjusted 15.03 million tonnes in the corresponding period of 2017.

Stainless steel prices in China in the first three quarters of this year were comparatively higher than last year on environmental inspections and higher prices for raw materials such as nickel pig iron. This allowed mills to maintain healthy profit margins, which in turn resulted in a rise in output, market sources said.

Prices for 304 stainless cold-rolled coil in China’s domestic market averaged 15,181 yuan ($2,182) per tonne in the first nine months of this year, up 239 yuan per tonne from 14,942 yuan per tonne a year earlier, according to Fastmarkets MB’s price archive.